On September 10th, 2025, FEPORT Secretary General, Ms Lamia Kerdjoudj gave a presentation regarding the collective response to safeguarding maritime supply chains from criminal threats.
FEPORT Secretary General said that tackling drug trafficking effectively requires action far beyond the port perimeter. Structured cooperation with international partners along the entire trafficking route, particularly in regions of origin and transit is crucial. One useful measure would be the introduction of formalised risk assessments for source and transit countries, based on recurring patterns in drug seizures. These could help customs authorities and enforcement agencies better target inspections and resources at the EU border.
The deployment of EU liaison officers or joint investigation teams in strategic third countries. These teams would enhance intelligence-sharing, improve coordination with local enforcement, and facilitate earlier interception of high-risk shipments before they arrive in Europe.
Improving information exchange across the entire shipping route is also essential. The development of a secure, structured, and interoperable data exchange platform connecting carriers, terminals, customs, and enforcement agencies—both in the EU and abroad will be instrumental.
Ms Kerdjoudj mentioned that private actors upstream—including shipping lines, freight forwarders, and logistics platforms—should be included in public-private security frameworks. These actors often have early visibility over high-risk shipments and should be part of any effective supply chain-wide response.
Finally, FEPORT Secretary General reiterated the importance for the EU Port Alliance to adopt a strategy encompassing cooperation, prevention, protection, and repression.
During the WCO event, IAPH and WCO release Guidelines on Cooperation between Customs and Port Authorities.
This updated edition, following the first edition launched in 2023, bolsters public-private partnerships across the global maritime supply chain and features important contributions from the World Shipping Council (WSC).
The Guidelines aim at enhancing collaboration between customs and port authorities and help public and private sector stakeholders alike to navigate the complexities of global trade.
Key recommendations that resulted from consultation with WSC relate to the need to establish robust consultation mechanisms with port stakeholders as well as data exchange with shipping lines on vessel, crew and cargo information.
The report is available in English, French and Spanish.
